Santa Maria del Tiglio

In Gravedona traces of medieval times are found along the banks, there where the lakeside reveals a rare and beautiful church: St. Maria del Tiglio. Its architectural design made the 'Maestri Comacini' famous then and renders proud the people of Gravedona today.

It is an example of the roman period around Como dated around the second half of XII century. It is built over a former baptistry (V century) dedicated to St.John the Baptist.

Unique in its kind, built with black and white stones on which raised symbols can be read, pilasters, vaulted arches, arrow slits, embrasures, profiles and string courses on the windows, columns, arcades, apses and oculi which express an inspiration from the spirit rather than a particular form of art.

When one enters the church, prayer comes spontaneously. The absence of colour does not make a negative impression, in fact in an era like ours where everything is a pretext for painting, one realizes how homely and friendly the stone can be.

After having sung, the stone suddenly colours and communicates through the XIV and XV century frescos in which we recognize the cycles of: "St. John the Baptist" and "The Wise Men", a "Crucifix" and a "Holy Trinity", "The Adoption of the Wise Men", an episode of the "Life of St. Julian", "The Holy Virgin between St. Nicholas and another Saint", "St. Gothard", "St. Stephen", "St. Christopher".

Also of great iconographic interest is the fresco of "The Day of Judgement", with Giottesque traces to be seen. Below, the denomination of the seven vices and seven virtues, seems to show in the two groups of people above, the condemnation of Christ Judge whilst Jerusalem is represented by the village of Gravedona.

“…A sinistra (…)nella piana alberata dell’estuario del Liro, dove sorgono, fasciati dal silenzio e di vecchiaia, quei due preziosi gioielli dell’antichità cristiana, la plebana S. Vincenzo e il Battistero di Santa Maria del Tiglio: troppo noti ormai a studiosi e profani…”.

(Carlo Linati, da passeggiate Lariane,1937)

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